SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G (Rule 13d-102) INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO RULES 13d-1(b)(c), AND (d) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(b) (Amendment No. __)* New Ireland Fund Inc. ----------------------------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) common stock ----------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 645673104 ----------------------------------------------------- (CUSIP Number) May 10, 2004 ----------------------------------------------------- (Date of Event Which requires Filing of this Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: [X] Rule 13d-1(b) [X] Rule 13d-1(c) [ ] Rule 13d-1(d) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). Page 1 of 10 Pages CUSIP No. 645673104 Schedule 13G Page 2 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Bank of Ireland Asset Management Limited -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [X] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. SEC USE ONLY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Republic of Ireland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 338,539 ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 338,539 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 338,539 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 7.1% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* IA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! CUSIP No. 645673104 Schedule 13G Page 3 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [X] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. SEC USE ONLY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Republic of Ireland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 350,087 ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 350,087 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 350,087 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 7.4% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* HC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! CUSIP No. 645673104 Schedule 13G Page 4 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) BIAM Holdings -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [X] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. SEC USE ONLY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Republic of Ireland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 350,087 ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 350,087 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 350,087 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 7.4% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* HC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! CUSIP No. 645673104 Schedule 13G Page 5 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY) Bank of Ireland Asset Management (U.S.) Limited -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [X] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. SEC USE ONLY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Republic of Ireland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 5. SOLE VOTING POWER SHARES 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY 6. SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED BY 11,548 ----------------------------------------------------------------- EACH 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER REPORTING 0 ----------------------------------------------------------------- PERSON 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH 11,548 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 11,548 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* [_] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9) 0.2% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* CO -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT! CUSIP No. 645673104 Schedule 13G Page 6 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 1(a). Name of Issuer: The New Ireland Fund Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: The New Ireland Fund, Inc. c/o PFPC Inc. 99 High Street 27th Floor Boston, MA 02110 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 2. (a) Name of Person Filing. This Statement is being filed by and on behalf of Bank of Ireland Asset Management Limited ("BIAML),The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland (the "Bank of Ireland"), BIAM Holdings("BIAMH") and Bank of Ireland Asset Management (U.S.) Limited ("BIAMUS") (collectively, the "Reporting Persons"). (b) Address of Principal Business Office: The principal business address of BIAML and BIAMH is 40 Mespil Road, Dublin 4, Ireland The principal business address of Bank of Ireland is Head Office, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. The principal business address of BIAMUS is 75 Holly Hill Lane, Greenwich Connecticut, 06830 (c) Citizenship or Place of Organization: Bank of Ireland, BIAML, BIAMH and BIAMUS are Irish companies. d) Title of Class of Securities: This Statement relates to the shares of common stock, $.01 par value, of The New Ireland Fund Inc. (e) CUSIP Number: The CUSIP number is 645673104. CUSIP No. 645673104 SCHEDULE 13G Page 8 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 3. If This Statement is Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a: (a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Exchange Act. (b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Exchange Act. (c) [ ] Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Exchange Act. (d) [ ] Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment Company Act. (e) [X] An investment adviser in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E); (f) [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F); (g) [ ] A parent holding company or control person in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G); (h) [ ] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act; (i) [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an investment company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act; (j) [ ] Group, in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J). If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(c), check this box. [X] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 4. Ownership. (a) and (b). Amount Beneficially Owned and Percent of Class: As of the date of this Statement, the Reporting Persons beneficially owned in the aggregate 350,087 shares of Common Stock which equates to approximately 7.4% of the outstanding shares(the percentage of shares of Common Stock owned being based on 4,741,278 shares of Common Stock outstanding at April 12, 2004, per the issuers records). BIAML has direct beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock in the accounts for which it serves as the investment adviser under its investment management agreements. BIAMUS has direct beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock which it it purchased to provide seed capital to the Issuer. BIAMH, as the controlling member of BIAML and BIAMUS, may be deemed to possess beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by BIAML and BIAMUS. Bank of Ireland, as the sole shareholder of BIAMH, may be deemed to possess beneficial ownership of the shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by BIAMH. As used herein, "beneficial ownership" has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. CUSIP No. 645673104 SCHEDULE 13G Page 9 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (c) Power to vote or dispose. BIAML has the direct power to vote or direct the vote, and the direct power to dispose or direct the disposition, of 338,539 shares of Common Stock. BIAMUS has the direct power to vote or direct the vote, and the direct power to dispose or direct the disposition, of 11,548 shares of Common Stock. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following: ____ Not Applicable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 6. Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. Not Applicable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company. The item 3 classification of each Reporting Person is as follows: BIAML is an Irish investment adviser authorised by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority and is making this filing in accordance with Rule 13d-1(c). BIAMUS, an affiliate of BIAML, is an investment adviser under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act,1940 and is making this filing in accordance with Rule 13d-1(b). BIAMH is a parent holding company or control person of BIAML and BIAMUS and is making this filing in accordance with Rule 13d-1(c). The Bank of Ireland is a parent holding company or control person of BIAMH and is making this filing in accordance with Rule 13d-1(c). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. Not Applicable -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. Not Applicable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item 10. Certifications. By signing below the undersigned certifies that, to the best of its or his knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect. CUSIP No. 645673104 SCHEDULE 13-G Page 10 of 10 Pages -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SIGNATURE. After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its or his knowledge and belief, we certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: May 14, 2004 THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF THE BANK OF IRELAND By: /s/ Brian Goggin ---------------------------------- Brian Goggin Director BIAM Holdings By: /s/ Sean O'Dwyer ---------------------------------- Sean O'Dwyer Director Bank of Ireland Asset Management Limited By: /s/ Sean O'Dwyer ---------------------------------- Sean O'Dwyer Director Bank of Ireland Asset Management (U.S.) Limited By: /s/ Rosemary Mahon ---------------------------------- Rosemary Mahon Director